Wide Open Spaces
Encyclopedia
Wide Open Spaces is the major label debut of American
country music
band the Dixie Chicks
, and the fourth studio album
overall, released in 1998 (see 1998 in music
). It was their first record with new lead vocalist
Natalie Maines
, and became their breakthrough commercial success. It received diamond status by the RIAA on February 20, 2003 in the United States
, having shipped 12 million units, while spending more than six years in the Australia
n ARIA music charts
Country Top 20. The album has sold 8,655,000 copies in the United States up to November 2008.
At the 41st Grammy Awards, the album was awarded 2 Grammy Award
s out of 3 nominations. It was awarded Best Country Album (the first of what would be 4 trophies in this category: they would later win for Fly in 2001, Home
in 2003, and Taking the Long Way
in 2007.) and for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the song There's Your Trouble
. (an award the Chicks would win 5 times: in 2000 for Ready to Run, in 2003 for Long Time Gone
, in 2005 for Top of the World
and 2007 for Not Ready to Make Nice
, a feat only matched by The Judds
.) In addition, the Chicks were nominated for Best New Artist.
The CD, next to their next albums Fly and Home
were released in the HDCD format.
! Country
! Certification
(thresholds)
! Sales
|-
| United States
| 12 ×Platinum
| 12,000,000
|-
| Canada
| 4x Platinum
| 400,000
|-
| Australia
| 2x Platinum
| 140,000
|-
| World-Wide
|
| 14,000,000
! Chart (1998–1999)
! Peak
position
|-
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums
| align="center"| 1
|-
| U.S. Billboard 200
| align="center"| 4
|-
| U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers
| align="center"| 3
|-
| Canadian RPM Country Albums
| align="center"| 1
|-
| Canadian RPM Top Albums
| align="center"| 16
|-
|}
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single
! colspan="3"| Peak chart positions
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="45"| US Country
! width="45"| US
! width="45"| CAN Country
|-
| 1997
| align="left"| "I Can Love You Better"
| 7
| 77
| 3
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1998
| align="left"| "There's Your Trouble"
| 1
| 36
| 3
|-
| align="left"| "Wide Open Spaces"
| 1
| 41
| 1
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1999
| align="left"| "You Were Mine"
| 1
| 34
| 1
|-
| align="left"| "Tonight the Heartache's on Me"
| 6
| 46
| 4
|-
|}
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single
! colspan="1"| Peak positions
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="60"| US Country
|-
| 1999
| align="left"| "Let 'Er Rip"
| 64
|}
|-
!Chart (1990–1999)
!Position
|-
| U.S. Billboard 200
| style="text-align:center;"|43
|}
s
{| class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Winner
!align="left"|Category
|-
|align="left"|1999
|align="left"|"There's Your Trouble"
|align="left"|Best Country Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocal
|-
|align="left"|1999
|align="left"|Wide Open Spaces
|align="left"|Best Country Album
|-
|}
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
band the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
, and the fourth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
overall, released in 1998 (see 1998 in music
1998 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
). It was their first record with new lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
Natalie Maines
Natalie Maines
Natalie Louise Maines Pasdar is an American singer-songwriter who achieved success as the lead vocalist for the female alternative country band, the Dixie Chicks...
, and became their breakthrough commercial success. It received diamond status by the RIAA on February 20, 2003 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, having shipped 12 million units, while spending more than six years in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n ARIA music charts
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
Country Top 20. The album has sold 8,655,000 copies in the United States up to November 2008.
At the 41st Grammy Awards, the album was awarded 2 Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s out of 3 nominations. It was awarded Best Country Album (the first of what would be 4 trophies in this category: they would later win for Fly in 2001, Home
Home (Dixie Chicks album)
Home is the sixth studio album by American country band Dixie Chicks, released in 2002 on Monument/Columbia Records. It is notable for its acoustic bluegrass sound, which stands in contrast with their previous two country pop albums....
in 2003, and Taking the Long Way
Taking the Long Way
-Public reception:On May 31, 2006, the album took three number one spots on the charts of Billboard magazine. It was number one on the Hot Country Albums, Top Digital Albums, and on the Billboard 200 chart, going Gold in its first week with 526,000 units sold....
in 2007.) and for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the song There's Your Trouble
There's Your Trouble
"There's Your Trouble" is a song made famous by the country music band, the Dixie Chicks. Written by Mark Selby and Tia Sillers, the song was released in 1998 as the second track to the band's fourth album, Wide Open Spaces.-Awards:...
. (an award the Chicks would win 5 times: in 2000 for Ready to Run, in 2003 for Long Time Gone
Long Time Gone
"Long Time Gone" is a country song by Darrell Scott, published on the 2000 album Real Time which Scott recorded together with Tim O'Brien.-Content:...
, in 2005 for Top of the World
Top of the World (Dixie Chicks song)
"Top of the World" is a contemporary folk-country song written by Patty Griffin and most known as recorded and performed in Grammy Award-winning fashion by the Dixie Chicks....
and 2007 for Not Ready to Make Nice
Not Ready to Make Nice
"Not Ready to Make Nice" is a country pop song co-written and performed by the American all-female band Dixie Chicks for their seventh studio album Taking the Long Way...
, a feat only matched by The Judds
The Judds
The Judds were an American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna Judd. Signed to RCA Records in 1983, the duo released six studio albums between then and 1991. One of the most successful acts in country music history, The Judds won five Grammy Awards for Best Country...
.) In addition, the Chicks were nominated for Best New Artist.
The CD, next to their next albums Fly and Home
Home (Dixie Chicks album)
Home is the sixth studio album by American country band Dixie Chicks, released in 2002 on Monument/Columbia Records. It is notable for its acoustic bluegrass sound, which stands in contrast with their previous two country pop albums....
were released in the HDCD format.
Track listing
- "I Can Love You BetterI Can Love You Better"I Can Love You Better" is the title of a song written by Pamela Brown Hayes and Kostas and recorded by American country music group the Dixie Chicks...
" (Pamela Brown Hayes, KostasKostasKostas Lazarides is a Greek-born American country music songwriter, known professionally as Kostas. He has written for several country music artists, including Dwight Yoakam, Patty Loveless, and Travis Tritt, and has won eleven awards from Broadcast Music Incorporated...
) – 3:53 - "Wide Open SpacesWide Open Spaces (song)"Wide Open Spaces" is a country song from the Dixie Chicks, written by Susan Gibson. Appearing as the title song on the band's 1998 album Wide Open Spaces, it was released as a single in August of that year, and hit number one on the U.S. Country singles chart, spending four weeks there in...
" (Susan GibsonSusan GibsonSusan Gibson is a Wimberley, TX based singer-sonwriter who has released four solo albums and tours the nation. Gibson was the lead singer for the alternative country band, The Groobees, and is the writer of the Dixie Chicks hit Wide Open Spaces....
) – 3:44 - "Loving Arms" (Tom JansTom JansTom Jans was a folk musician from San Jose, California. He is perhaps best known for his song "Lovin' Arms" , which has been performed and recorded by dozens of artists and bands, including Elvis Presley, Dixie Chicks, Natalie Cole, Kris Kristofferson, Olivia Newton-John, Rita Coolidge, Livingston...
) – 3:37 - "There's Your TroubleThere's Your Trouble"There's Your Trouble" is a song made famous by the country music band, the Dixie Chicks. Written by Mark Selby and Tia Sillers, the song was released in 1998 as the second track to the band's fourth album, Wide Open Spaces.-Awards:...
" (Mark SelbyMark Selby (musician)Mark Otis Selby is an American blues rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer. He is a solo artist, signed to ZYX Records in Europe, and one half of performing duo with his wife, songwriter Tia Sillers...
, Tia Sillers) – 3:10 - "You Were MineYou Were Mine"You Were Mine" is a hit song by the Dixie Chicks, from their 1998 album Wide Open Spaces. It was released in December 1998, and hit number one on the U.S. Country singles chart, spending two weeks there in March 1999...
" (Emily Robison, Martie Seidel) – 3:37 - "Never Say Die" (George DucasGeorge Ducas (singer)George Ducas is an American country music artist. He has released two studio albums: 1994's George Ducas and 1997's Where I Stand, and has charted six singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, of which the highest was the #9 "Lipstick Promises" in 1995...
, Radney FosterRadney FosterRadney Foster is an American Texas Country artist. Initially a songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee, Foster made his debut in 1986 alongside Bill Lloyd in the duo Foster & Lloyd...
) – 3:56 - "Tonight the Heartache's on MeTonight the Heartache's on Me"Tonight the Heartache's on Me" is a song by the Dixie Chicks, and the final single from their 1998 album Wide Open Spaces. It was released in May 1999 by Monument Records, and was written by Mary Francis, Johnny MacRae and Bob Morrison....
" (Mary W. Francis, Johnny MacRae, Bob Morrison) – 3:25 - "Let 'Er Rip" (Billy Crain, Sandy Ramos) – 2:49
- "Once You've Loved Somebody" (Thom McHugh, Bruce Miller) – 3:28
- "I'll Take Care of You" (J. D. SoutherJ. D. SoutherJohn David Souther is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and actor. He has written and co-written numerous hits songs recorded by artists such as Linda Ronstadt and Glenn Frey of the Eagles.-Singing career:...
) – 3:40 - "Am I the Only One (Who's Ever Felt This Way)" (Maria McKeeMaria McKeeMaria Luisa McKee is an American singer and songwriter. She is best known for her work with Lone Justice and her 1990 UK solo chart-topping hit, "Show Me Heaven".-Music:...
) – 3:25 - "Give It Up or Let Me Go" (Bonnie RaittBonnie RaittBonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
) – 4:55
Certifications/sales
{| class="wikitable"! Country
! Certification
(thresholds)
! Sales
|-
| United States
| 12 ×Platinum
| 12,000,000
|-
| Canada
| 4x Platinum
| 400,000
|-
| Australia
| 2x Platinum
| 140,000
|-
| World-Wide
|
| 14,000,000
Personnel
- Natalie MainesNatalie MainesNatalie Louise Maines Pasdar is an American singer-songwriter who achieved success as the lead vocalist for the female alternative country band, the Dixie Chicks...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Emily Robison – acoustic guitar, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, dobroDobroDobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar...
, vocals - Martie Seidel – fiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, vocals
Additional personnel
- Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitar
- Bobby Charles, Jr. – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Joe Chemay – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Billy Crain – acoustic guitar
- Lloyd MainesLloyd MainesLloyd Maines is an American Grammy Award-winning country music record producer, musician and songwriter. He was born and raised in Lubbock, Texas and is now based in Bulverde, Texas....
– steel guitarSteel guitarSteel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use... - George Marinelli – electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Greg Morrow – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Tommy Nash – electric guitar
- Tony Paoletta – steel guitar
- Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
- Tom Roady – shakuhachiShakuhachiThe is a Japanese end-blown flute. It is traditionally made of bamboo, but versions now exist in ABS and hardwoods. It was used by the monks of the Fuke school of Zen Buddhism in the practice of...
, congaCongaThe conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
, tambourineTambourineThe tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all.... - Matt RollingsMatt RollingsMatt Rollings is an American composer, musician and record producer. He plays piano, organ, and keyboards.Known mainly for playing in Lyle Lovett's Large Band, he has worked with many artists, not all country...
– pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, Hammond organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard... - Billy Joe Walker, Jr. – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
- Paul WorleyPaul WorleyPaul Worley is an American record producer and session guitarist, known primarily for his work in country music. Formerly a vice president at Sony BMG, he later joined the staff of Warner Bros. Records' Nashville division as chief creative officer...
– acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Production
- Producers: Jim Burnett, Mark CappsMark CappsMark Capps is a sound engineer and music producer. He co-won the Grammy Award for Best Polka Album in 2005, 2006 and 2007.-External links:...
, Tony Castle, Blake ChanceyBlake ChanceyBlake Chancey is an American record producer and music business executive, known primarily for his work in country music. Formerly an executive vice president and chief creative officer for Sony Music, he later formed a partnership with artist manager Scott Siman...
, Erik Hellerman, Clarke Schleicher, Ed Simonton, Paul Worley - Engineers: Eric Legg, Billy Sherrill
- Assistant engineers: Tony Castle, Chip Mattews, Mike Wrucke
- Mixing: Chuck AinlayChuck AinlayChuck Ainlay is a record producer. He has worked with Mark Knopfler on much of Knopfler's solo work, in addition to some Dire Straits material....
, John Guess - Mixing assistants: Mark Ralston, Chris Rowe, Shawn Simpson
- Mastering: Denny Purcell
- Mastering assistant: Jonathan Russell
- Editing: Jim Burnett
- Digital editing: Don Cobb, Carlos Grier
- Production coordination: Deb Boyle, Janice Soled
- Art direction: Tracy Baskette-Fleaner, Bill Johnson
- Photography: Matthew Barnes
- Stylist: Renee Fowler
- Hair stylist: Bruce Alan
- Make-up: Stacy Kelly
Charts
As of the 24th May 2009, "Wide Open Spaces" has been within the top twenty of the Australian ARIA Country Charts for a consecutive 363 WeeksAlbum
{| class="wikitable"! Chart (1998–1999)
! Peak
position
|-
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums
| align="center"| 1
|-
| U.S. Billboard 200
| align="center"| 4
|-
| U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers
| align="center"| 3
|-
| Canadian RPM Country Albums
| align="center"| 1
|-
| Canadian RPM Top Albums
| align="center"| 16
|-
|}
Singles
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single
! colspan="3"| Peak chart positions
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="45"| US Country
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
! width="45"| US
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
! width="45"| CAN Country
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
|-
| 1997
| align="left"| "I Can Love You Better"
| 7
| 77
| 3
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1998
| align="left"| "There's Your Trouble"
| 1
| 36
| 3
|-
| align="left"| "Wide Open Spaces"
| 1
| 41
| 1
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1999
| align="left"| "You Were Mine"
| 1
| 34
| 1
|-
| align="left"| "Tonight the Heartache's on Me"
| 6
| 46
| 4
|-
|}
Other charted songs
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single
! colspan="1"| Peak positions
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="60"| US Country
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
|-
| 1999
| align="left"| "Let 'Er Rip"
| 64
|}
End of decade charts
{| class="wikitable sortable"|-
!Chart (1990–1999)
!Position
|-
| U.S. Billboard 200
| style="text-align:center;"|43
|}
Awards
Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s
{| class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Winner
!align="left"|Category
|-
|align="left"|1999
|align="left"|"There's Your Trouble"
|align="left"|Best Country Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocal
Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
The Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded from 1970 to 2011. The award has had several minor name changes:*In 1970 the award was known as Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group...
|-
|align="left"|1999
|align="left"|Wide Open Spaces
|align="left"|Best Country Album
Grammy Award for Best Country Album
The Grammy Award for Best Country Album has been awarded since 1994. The equivalent award, the Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Album was presented in 1965 and 1966...
|-
|}